Rupang Bhatt, Ahmedabad: With Diwali vacation in full swing, many Gujaratis are gearing up for road trips to popular destinations like Udaipur, Eklingji, and Shrinathji. While trains and daily flights connect Ahmedabad to Udaipur, most travelers prefer driving, as the highway journey itself has become an enjoyable experience. Road trips also allow flexibility—you can easily reach resorts, explore nearby attractions like Eklingji, Shrinathji, Kumbhalgarh, or even extend your journey to Chittorgarh. Unlike high-speed trains like Vande Bharat or Shatabdi, regular trains take longer, and flights are rarely direct, making driving a faster and more convenient option. Here’s a breakdown from a recent road trip to Udaipur.

Choosing Your Route: Gandhinagar or Bypass?

Deciding the best route depends on where in Ahmedabad you start. If you’re coming from the eastern side, Airport Road – Naroda – Chiloda offers a way to bypass Gandhinagar entirely. From western Ahmedabad, you can either take the Sarkhej – Gandhinagar highway or the Naroda – Chiloda route, depending on your convenience.

The Highway Has Improved

The Ahmedabad–Udaipur highway is now well-constructed, safer, and faster compared to the old days of narrow lanes and frequent intersections. A few stretches still have stalled flyover construction—three near Himmatnagar and two between Himmatnagar and Shamlaji—but side lanes help manage traffic. Once you pass Shamlaji, the highway is smooth all the way to Udaipur and beyond. Travelers heading to Nathdwara, Shrinathji, or Eklingji should use the newly built bypass for easier access.

Hygienic Stops

Highway-side dhabas are plentiful, but for a cleaner, branded experience, ‘Honest’ restaurant branches near Prantij (toward Himmatnagar) and just before Shamlaji (toward Rajasthan) are recommended.

Ignore Fake Eunuchs

You may notice groups of eunuchs at toll plazas, railway crossings, and speed-breakers—especially on the Himmatnagar–Shamlaji stretch. Many attempt to stop vehicles for money. The best approach is to ignore them, keep your windows closed, AC on, and drive calmly.

No FASTag? Pay Double!

Vehicles without a FASTag must pay double at toll plazas. If you don’t have one, counters are available at most toll plazas to get a FASTag in a few minutes.

Shamlaji Mandir: A Worthwhile Stop

If you drive at a reasonable speed of 60 to 80 km/h, or slightly more, you can reach Shamlaji in about two hours. You can have darshan of the beautiful, tall black-stone murti of Trivikram Vishnu at Shamlaji Mandir and take a break there before continuing toward Udaipur. Visitors wearing half-pants or revealing clothing are advised that entry is not allowed, as per instructions outside the mandir. Inside, you can also see a striking black-stone Garuda murti placed directly in front of Trivikram Vishnu’s murti. In Shiva temples, Nandi murti is traditionally placed in front of the Shivalinga; similarly, Vishnu temples typically have a Garuda murti in front of Vishnu’s idol. Shamlaji Mandir also features excellent sculptures along its outer periphery, including both erotic and religious motifs, which are worth observing closely. Outside the front gate, two large elephant statues add to the temple’s charm.

Shop for Fresh Produce

Just outside the temple, local vendors sell fresh vegetables at much lower prices than city markets. So why not buy a stock of fresh farm produce from the tribal farmers? Also, don’t miss sampling local snacks like gota, bhajiya, or batata vada with kadhi at nearby food joints.

Mileage Matters

Highway driving boosts fuel efficiency, but that differs from highway to highway. If you drive between Ahmedabad and Vadodara at an average speed of around 80 km/h, you’ll notice a significant boost in your car’s mileage compared to city driving. On the Ahmedabad–Vadodara expressway, I managed around 18 km/l, whereas city driving usually gives me only about 10 km/l. On the Ahmedabad–Udaipur highway, especially beyond Shamlaji, mileage tends to drop slightly—around 14 km/l in my experience—mainly due to the numerous flyovers that require the engine to work harder on the inclines. Still, even with this dip, highway driving offers far better fuel efficiency than navigating through city traffic.

Liquor Shops Are Less Visible

Earlier, many liquor shops lined the Rajasthan side of the highway, with Gujarati signboards welcoming travelers. Now, due to flyovers, new alignments, and regulations requiring liquor shops to be set back 220–500 meters from the highway, fewer are visible along the route. DeshGujarat